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West Tennessee
Lauderdale County Hunting
Lauderdale County WMAs and public ground, harvest by season, the 2026-27 dates and limits, and local meat processors and shops.
Photo: cricketsblog (CC BY 2.0)
Lauderdale County sits in West Tennessee with 472 square miles of land and 31 square miles of water, and its 2025-26 deer check-in of 1,290 put it 59th in the state. The harvest density was close to 2.7 deer for each square mile. It accounted for 0.8% of the statewide deer harvest.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Lauderdale County
Public areas for Lauderdale County hunters
Lauderdale County holds 4 listed public areas, with 8 others inside a 45 mile radius. Orange pins mark areas inside the county.
John Tully WMA
15,500 acres with deer, turkey, waterfowl, dove, small game on the list.
Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge
26,997 acres with deer, turkey, waterfowl on the list.
Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Hunted for deer, turkey, waterfowl on the list.
Sunk Lake State Natural Area (North Unit)
Hunted for deer, turkey, waterfowl on the list.
Tigrett WMA
Located in Dyer County and Gibson County, around 27 miles from mid-county. 7,629 acres.
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Located in Haywood County, around 30 miles from mid-county. 11,556 acres.
Lauderdale County deer harvest by season
Deer check-ins went from 1,375 in 2024-25 to 1,290 in 2025-26, a 6% drop. Over ten seasons the county averaged 1,212 deer a year. High mark: 1,552 in 2020-21. Low mark: 940 in 2021-22. TWRA counts 193 of those deer as WMA harvest. In 2026 spring, 259 turkeys came out of the county (64th in Tennessee).
Source: TWRA Hunter’s Toolbox harvest reports, county totals including WMA harvest. Deer seasons run July 1 to June 30. Recent seasons can still be revised slightly by TWRA.
Open seasons for Lauderdale County
Bear hunting is closed in Lauderdale County. Fall turkey is not open in Lauderdale County. Lauderdale County carries CWD carcass rules. No baiting or feeding is allowed in Lauderdale County.
- Deer
- Turkey
- Ducks
- Waterfowl
- Canada goose
- White-fronted goose
- Brant
- Light geese
- Dove
- Woodcock
- Snipe
- Rails (virginia, sora)
- Gallinule and moorhen
- Crow
- Squirrel
- Rabbit
- Quail
- Grouse
- RaccoonYear-round
- Opossum
- CoyoteYear-round
- Bobcat
- Feral hogYear-round
TWRA 2026-27 guide, checked October 28, 2026.
Lauderdale County deer, turkey and bear rules
Unit 1 deer limits
The daily antlerless limit is 3 across Young Sportsman, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall rifle and gun hunts. August is bucks only. Antlered deer: 2 per season statewide, 1 per day.
2026-27 deer dates for Lauderdale County
2026-27 schedule: bows Sep 26, muzzleloaders Nov 7 to Nov 20, 2026, rifles and shotguns Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, same as the rest of Tennessee.
CWD rules in Lauderdale County
As a positive county it falls under the bait and feeding ban and the carcass export limits, and Earn-A-Buck applies.
Fall gobbler hunting, Lauderdale County
The fall turkey season does not open here.
From the 2026-27 TWRA hunting guide, checked October 28, 2026. Read the guide.
Lauderdale County shooting hours this week
The window for big and small game is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset plus 30. Turkeys and migratory birds close at sunset itself.
Times calculated for the center of Lauderdale County in Central time. Turkey and migratory bird hunting ends at sunset. Shooting hours for every county.
Hunting services around Lauderdale County
Ordered by county: Lauderdale first, then its neighbors.
Listings come from TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, state permit lists and business pages. Call before you drive; seasonal hours vary.
Lauderdale County hunting events
1 upcoming event on file (October 2026 check).
Upcoming
| Date | Event | Type | Where | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2026 | Lauderdale County Coon Hunters Association Nite Hunt | Coon hunt | Ripley, Lauderdale County | Event details |
Burning rules in Lauderdale County
Today's Lauderdale County status is on the Tennessee burn ban list.
- Burn permit: October 15 through May 15 each year (TCA 39-14-306(a)(1)); required for open-air fires within 500 feet of any forest, grassland or woodland.
- Who sets a ban: Under TCA 39-14-306(b), the Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the State Forester and at the request of county mayors, issues county burn bans.
- Fires on public land: TWRA wildlife management areas: Rule 1660-01-14-.13(5)(i) says 'No warming, camping or any type fire shall be allowed except at designated camping areas.
Gun ranges in and around Lauderdale County
Nothing is listed within the county line; the nearest ones are shown with miles from the county center.
Call ahead about access, with trap.
Members only, with trap, skeet, sporting clays, rifle, pistol, shotgun, plus long range rifle.
Hunt the counties next to Lauderdale County
If you fish too, see Lauderdale County fishing spots.
There are 4 counties on the Lauderdale County line; 1 checked more deer than it did.
Questions about hunting Lauderdale County
What are the bait rules in Lauderdale County?
Baiting is not allowed; the county is under the CWD feeding ban.
Is Lauderdale County in the CWD zone?
Yes. TWRA lists it as CWD-positive.
Can I hunt bear in Lauderdale County?
Not open. Only counties in a listed bear zone have a season.
Is there a fall turkey season in Lauderdale County?
Closed. Only the spring season applies here.
Where can I drop off a deer in Lauderdale County?
Options close by include Hargett's Meat Processing, R & D Processing and Mason's Deer Processing.
How early can I shoot in Lauderdale County?
From a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset for most game; the weekly table above has the exact times.
How many deer were checked in Lauderdale County?
Hunters reported 1,290 deer in Lauderdale County in 2025-26, ranking 59th of 95 counties.
Where can I hunt public land in Lauderdale County?
Inside the county: John Tully WMA, Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge and Sunk Lake State Natural Area (North Unit). Just beyond the line you will find Moss Island WMA, Ernest Rice WMA and Thorny Cypress WMA.
What unit sets the deer limits for Lauderdale County?
Unit 1 covers the county for 2026-27. This is one of the liberal units: 3 does a day in each of the youth, archery, muzzleloader, straight-wall and gun seasons, none in August.
Getting ready to hunt Lauderdale County
Check the 2026-27 TWRA guide and each area listing before you hunt in Lauderdale County.
Other photos on this page: cricketsblog (CC BY 2.0); Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888 (Public domain); Darron Birgenheier (CC BY-SA 2.0); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).